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Odd NFL Rules, and how one altered Russell Wilson’s contract

By Greg Haugsven

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Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks guard J.R. Sweezy (64) blocks as quarterback Russell Wilson (3) drops back to pass against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL has some fairly obscure rules written into the current collective bargaining agreement. Two of them have recently com into play for the Seattle Seahawks.

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Russell Wilson’s contract had its 2015 base salary jump from $700,000 to $1.5 million this year ($1.542 to be exact). It’s actually going to be the same for JR Sweezy this year as well. His base salary is going from $660,000 to $1.542 million. Why?

It’s due to a rule known as the Proven Performance Escalator (PPE). This is a clause that was put in the latest CBA to help out players who were selected in rounds three through seven. If you were drafted during those rounds and played a certain percentage of snaps you are available for this salary increase in the fourth year of your contract.

If you have two season in which you play 35% of your teams snaps or play 35% of your teams snaps in the first three years you eligible for this escalator. Both Wilson and Sweezy met these snap requirements. There base salary is determined by what the low round tender is for a Restricted Free Agent in that year. In 2015 an RFA could be tendered:

First Round…..$3.347

Second Round…..$2.356 million (Jermaine Kearse)

Original Round (Low tender)…..$1.542

The Low Tender is the salary that the player is awarded for that year. In 2014 the Seahawks had two players achieve this escalator, Richard Sherman and K.J. Wright ($1.431).

Next there is a rule known as the “Minimum Salary Benefit” (MSB). This is a rule put in place to help veterans get jobs over younger players without harm to the teams salary cap. The minimum salary a team can pay a player is based on how many seasons he has accrued in his time in the league.

Will Blackmon’s contract fits under this rule. His base salary for 2015 is the league minimum for a player who has 7-9 years of credit, which is $870,000. The team can also pay him as much as $80,000 in a signing bonus to make the total contract $950,000. If he doesn’t make the fifty-three man roster only the $80,000 goes to dead money.

When the team uses this rule to their advantage they only have to absorb a cap hit of what a player with two years of service would be. In 2015 that would be $585,000. When you add his signing bonus to that you get Blackmon’s actual cap hit of just $665,000 versus the whole $950,000 that he’s getting paid. It’s not a ton of money but any saving is good savings.

Next: How much salary cap space is needed for rookies?

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